


Breathin'

by Goldstone_Wolf



Series: The Greenfeld-Spiers vs the World [3]
Category: Love Simon (2018), Simonverse | Creekwood Series - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Homophobia, I don't know though, M/M, Maybe Actually An Anxiety Attack, Oreo is a Helpful Puppy, Panic Attacks, Shawn's Classmates Are Kind of Trashy, Simon and Bram Help Too, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23759818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldstone_Wolf/pseuds/Goldstone_Wolf
Summary: Bram and Simon come home after a date to find their oldest hyperventilating. Oreo helps as well.
Relationships: Bram Greenfeld & Simon Spier & Their Kids, Bram Greenfeld/Simon Spier
Series: The Greenfeld-Spiers vs the World [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668160
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	Breathin'

**Author's Note:**

> TWs in tags. Shawn’s experience is based off of one of my own panic attacks. Whoops?  
> Also, the whole ‘ghost gender’ thing actually happened. Names have been changed.

When they got home, Oreo was barking.

Oreo never barked.

Opening the door, Bram glanced around. There was a note on the counter from Montana.

_Hey, Dads._

_Ari and I took the littles for a walk so they weren’t scared. You need to check on Shawn—something happened at school today and he wouldn’t tell us anything._

Sharing a glance with Simon, Bram made his way towards their oldest’s room. At least, he did his best. Oreo was very much underfoot. The black German Shepherd kept whining and half-barking despite Simon’s attempts to calm her. Knocking on Shawn’s door, Bram called, “Shawn? You in there?”

He didn’t hear anything, so he slowly opened the door and walked in.

Shawn was sitting on his bed, knees pulled to his chest and head down. Shoulders shaking, he choked out, “I’m fine. Go away.” He didn’t even look up.

Oreo hopped up next to him, sniffing. Simon quietly closed the door before he and Bram went to Shawn’s sides. “Hey, you don’t need to be fine. Did something happen at school?” Shawn tightened up, curling into himself a little more, and Simon reached over and gently started rubbing his back. “Do you want a hug?”

Shawn relaxed, then practically went boneless when his dad pulled him close. Bram, meanwhile, pulled Shawn’s hands away from where he was twisting a bracelet into his own arm. “You don’t need to tell us if you don’t want to, okay? We’re here for you.”

A quiet sob escaped their son, and he choked out. “It’s Geometry. I hate it so much.”

“Do you need a tutor?”

“No, it’s not that.” Bram joined the hug, while Oreo attempted nuzzling into Shawn’s arms. He didn’t let her, although he didn’t stop her, either. “They’re just—they’re so _mean_. They make fun of anyone who’s…different from them.” His breath hitched on the word ‘different’. “You know how it’s International Women’s Day?”

“Yeah.” Shawn’s breathing got faster again, even with his dads and Oreo there.

“Well, they started the class by asking how many _men_ celebrated it, too. Like…like pretending that—like trans women aren’t women, too. That’s what they meant—they’re not very _secret_ about anything like that. And then one of—one of the girls walked up to the board and she—she drew this symbol up there. And then—then she started talking about how she identified as ‘ghost gender’ and how she sexually identified as a ghost or something and—” swallowing, he kept talking, “—and no one stopped her and I could—all I could think about was how if I ever told them I was bi or that I have a datefriend, that they’d never accept me because they won’t. They’d just—they’d just start making fun of us, of _Ryan_. And what if they hurt Ryan? What if someone’s brother decides they don’t like us existing?” He paused, gasping now, and Simon and Bram exchanged a nervous glance. Before either of them could talk, though, Shawn continued, “And I started _crying_ in front of everyone and they all saw it and Ellie and Kayla had to pull me out of class oh gosh what if—what if they know they’re all going to think I’m weird or—”

“Hey, Shawn. _Shawn._ ” Moving, Bram crouched in front of them as Shawn’s breathing deteriorated even more. Cupping his son’s face with both hands, he said, “Shawn, you need to breathe with me, okay?”

“I—I can’t.” Gasping, Shawn half-clawed at his chest, eyes squeezed shut. “I can’t breathe.”

“Okay, you have to try for me. Can I have your hand?” Shaking, Shawn held a hand out and Bram let one of his own leave Shawn’s face. He placed Shawn’s on his chest and held it there. Running a thumb over Shawn’s cheek to wipe away a few tears, he said, “Okay, just in for four seconds. Like this.” He demonstrated, inhaling through his mouth so Shawn could hear. “Like that. Then out for eight. Think you can do that? Just follow me.”

It was at least fifteen minutes until Shawn calmed down.

When he did, Bram helped him lie down, held him close while Simon got water. He’d lived with Simon long enough to know how exhausting panic attacks could be, especially when they were consistent. He’d had some of his own a few times, even, and they were terrifying. Quietly, he rubbed delicate circles between Shawn’s shoulders. “It’s okay, you’re okay, just breathe.”

“There’s something wrong with me.” Shawn mumbled into his shirt. “This isn’t normal.”

“Shawn, nothing about our family is normal. But that’s okay. It’s okay not to be normal, just like it’s okay to be scared.” Tilting Shawn’s face up, Bram smiled and added, “But if you ever need help, we’ll always be here. Okay?”

“Okay.” Shawn buried his head in Bram’s chest again, and Oreo slumped between them.

Later that night, the family may or may not have all cuddled on the couch while watching Thomas Sanders.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Ariana Grande’s song, even though I’ve only listened to the Thomas Sander and Foti covers. Also, I gave Simon the panic attacks because his friends abandoned him and Bram’s are a lot better, and friends can be a very important support system.   
> Now, into the fray we go!


End file.
